Control valves for faucets have various components, many of which are discrete parts that are assembled to ensure good water-tight seal and long-term durability or reliability. The manufacturing of faucets, however, can become complicated and expensive as the features, controls, and/or functions of faucets are revised over time.
For certain water faucet applications, one-touch valves were developed so a tap on an actuation element can control the water to flow through those valves. An example of one-touch valves is those supplied by the 3M Company for mounting externally to a faucet. A one-touch valve may simplify the operation of a faucet. However, these one-touch valves are add-on components for being placed at where water is discharged, i.e., directly at the outlet of a faucet. This also means that the valves are operated directly at the outlet where water flows through.
But adding a one-touch valve changes the overall design, dimension, and aesthetic appearance of a faucet, limiting the flexibility and/or attractiveness of the design or application. A post-sale-modification may raise reliability, durability, or repair issues. Further, operating a faucet outlet with hands, arms, or other bodily parts, which may have grease, bacteria, or other contaminants, adds grease, bacteria, or other contaminants to the faucet outlet itself, leading to hygiene or other concerns.
Conventional faucets contain handles to control water flow. When the faucet is operated in circumstances that require frequent on/off operations, having handles that are away from the location where water is discharged may cause inconvenience. Although placing a handle near the location where water is discharged may be a solution, it may limit design options. For example, if a faucet has a removable head that travels with a connecting hose, the location of the control may affect the mobility of the faucet head or hose, limit options for faucet design, or limit its portability.